Full Saiyan Alchemist
by AirGuitaringKlavierGavin
Summary: When Bardock got a second chance at life, he didn't expect King Yemma to send him to Armestris. Now, he travels as a State Alchemist known as the "Steel Will" alchemist to find old friends, new answers, and a new lease on life.
1. Remorse

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. I just own an old laptop and a lot of free time.

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Claimer: If you saw this on InsaneJournal, then you were looking at my InsaneJournal. 3 I'm thousandsticks on there.

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Authornotes: Watch out for possible falling spoilers for DBZ and/or FMA, and references to DBZ the Abridged.

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Sometimes there are worse things than being dead.

Bardock used to think that it was worse to work for Frieza than to be dead; now he was pretty sure that being a dog of the military ranked right up there with it. In fact, he was sure that having automail ranked up there as well, but that might as well be a case of "there are worse things than being crippled by your attempt at forbidden alchemy."

He'd fallen into the same routine under the command of Roy Mustang: get up, go to Central, give a report of his progress into his alchemy research (He had chosen "practical combat uses of alchemy" so he could at least have an excuse to destroy things.), try to find information on Tora and Shugesh, play a round of chess against Hughes, go back to the military dorms, go to sleep, and have nightmares of Frieza. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Occasionally things were shaken up by the precognitive abilities given to him by the Kanassan he'd slain so many years ago. Otherwise, his new life was endless ennui interrupted with Roy Mustang's innuendos. He almost wished that the powers that be in the universe hadn't given him this second shot at life, but there wasn't much he could do about King Yemma forcing him through one of the desk drawers--and the Gate of Truth.

He'd abandoned most traces of his old life. The scouter had been replaced with a pair of wire-frame glasses because he'd lost the scouter anyway. His armor? Replaced with the standard military uniform of the Armestrian military. His old abilities? All-but-unused, in favor of alchemy. The only things he'd kept as a symbol of his old life were the blood-stained headband that had once been Tora's armband, his crimson armbands, his old body, and the friendships he'd developed with Tora, Shugesh, and Fasha. Sometimes he almost wished he could have hijacked a different body, but that was another story.

And today was just another day.

"Miniskirts! When I'm the Fuhrer, there's going to be miniskirts as far as the eye can see!" Roy suddenly blurted. It was the same thing he'd heard a million times since he joined the Armestrian military and ended up in Central; he had his feelings that Roy wanted to be Fuhrer for more than that, but Roy constantly brought it up.

Again with the miniskirts? The saiyan's eye ticked before he suddenly yelled. "Well, then the female soldier in that one must have a huge ass!"

"Oh no he didn't!" Havoc blurted.

"Oh yes. He did." Hughes stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

A jet of fire sailed by Bardock's ear. Roy gave a displeased frown. "Out of line, Major."

"Out of your damn gourd you megalomaniac nymphomaniac." The saiyan shot back.

Maes Hughes had long since questioned his sanity; how he put up with these two fighting every day was a mystery. Maybe one day the colonel would snap and incinerate that bespectacled hothead's automail? Or perhaps one day the major would finally get tired of calling that miniskirt-obsessed nymphomaniac names and leave Mustang's blood spattered over his own automail? He contemplated, but said nothing. It was best not to get in between his best friend and his favorite chess opponent.

"Colonel! Urgent news from the Fuhrer." Riza Hawkeye had stepped in just in the nick of time. It wasn't too far from the truth that she had news from the Fuhrer.

"I'll deal with you later, irontailed monkey." Mustang grunted, taking Riza into his private quarters with him.

The saiyan gave a completely deadpan expression. "Like you dealt with the other three hundred thirty-seven times?"

Hughes laughed behind him before patting him on the shoulder. "Looks like someone needs some Elicia-therapy."

"Only if you want to see the Kakarrot Special." Bardock laughed.

He had to admit it--he had it pretty good, seeing as he'd died and went through King Yemma's desk drawer to get here. He wouldn't tell Maes Hughes about that. It's not as though Hughes would believe that the Gate of Truth led to King Yemma's mahogany desk drawer.

"I thought the other day you'd show me the Raditz Special." Hughes smirked.

Bardock shrugged. "I've got two sons, so I might as well milk them both for what they're worth. After all, Raditz was the perfect little warrior, and Kakarrot's a hero in the making."

"Right." Hughes said, fishing out a few photos of Elicia. "Look at her! Isn't she the cutest little thing you've ever seen? She's wearing Daddy's glasses!"

Bardock laughed. Now he remembered why he lived in this world: Maes Hughes made him smile with his kind demeanor and these silly photos of Elicia. After a few photos, he chuckled softly and laughed gently.

"Let's play chess, Maes." He suggested.

Hughes gave a smile. "I thought you'd never ask."

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After a few turns, Hughes found himself cornered. His king had the white bishop, the white knight, and the white queen in range. No matter where he moved, he would be put in checkmate. Bardock was good--a brilliant strategist who could beat him at chess without batting his eyelashes. He hesitantly moved his king back.

A gloved finger touched the knight first, then settled on the bishop. Bardock gave a faint smirk before reverting back to his serious countenance as he moved the bishop into place. With a throaty whisper, he spoke only one word. "Checkmate."

Maes Hughes could feel his glasses sliding down in astonishment. "Again?! You're good..." He had to admit it--he was in awe of Bardock's chess-playing skills.

The saiyan stood up from his seat and saluted Maes Hughes. "You played well too, Maes." He then removed the glove to reveal his automail hand and let his automail tail swish to the side slightly. Hardly anyone knew of this except himself, the Colonel Roy, the Lieutenant Colonel Maes, the automail-smith that had crafted the limbs, and Tora. Hastily, his flesh hand pushed his wireframe glasses up on his nose.

Hughes gave a cheerful smile, glancing up to the other man. "Wanna see a photo of my darling little Elicia?"

Bardock gave a more peeved look now. "Do I really have a choice in the matter?"

The two were suddenly interrupted by the footsteps of one of the other soldiers in Central. She stood with a firm poise, arms at her side as she gave a stern look.

"Get back to work." Riza frowned to Maes Hughes. Her eyes then glanced to Bardock. "And Steel Will--Bardock--Colonel Mustang needs to see you in his office."

The warm blood in his veins suddenly turned to ice. Was this revenge for the earlier outburst that had started the argument between the two men? He supposed he should get it over with, lest it haunt him like his nightmares of Frieza. Slowly, he stepped into Roy's office, his eyes doing what they could to avoid his fellow State Alchemist.

The colonel was sitting in his seat, the back turned away from his desk and the door. As soon as he heard the footfalls of the saiyan alchemist, he spoke. "Major Son? Come here."

"Yes sir." Bardock said with a bit of deference now; he knew when not to disrespect his commanding officer. Saiyans didn't traditionally have surnames--he'd taken his surname from the visions he'd had of his son Kakarrot, who the old man and the other beings in the visions had called Son Goku. Goku had seemed like a strange surname to him, but Son sounded normal. That was his surname now.

Roy turned around in his seat, smirking. "You're going to Resembool, you lucky bastard." Suddenly, his face fell into a more serious state. "I need you to meet up with a man called Tora Mato. We have reason to suspect that he has performed Human Transmutation at some point in the past." Here, Roy slid a file folder with a photo of Tora toward Bardock, who picked it up.

"Understood, colonel." Bardock spoke, running his finger along the photo now. Tora hadn't changed much, it seemed. 'Tora...my friend.' He then tucked the folder under his arm, turning around, his eyes hazing over. It had been quite some time since he'd last seen Tora, and understandably, he missed the guy. He wouldn't let another see the tears that misted his eyes. After all, a soldier, especially a saiyan soldier, never cried.

Roy quirked a brow. "You act like a sentimental fool."

Roy's words had fallen on deaf ears. Bardock's coal-black eyes stared off into space, memories rising to the surface and feeling every bit as real as his visions of the future. His mind whirled back to the day he'd last seen Tora--nay, the day he'd last seen both Tora and Shugesh--the day the three had attempted human transmutation to bring back Fasha.

Sometimes, there were worse things than being dead--like remorse.


	2. Remembered Sin

Disclaimer: Don't own DBZ or FMA. I just have copies of the manga and anime of those lying around my dorm.

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Authornotes: Believe me, I really had to research a lot of stuff for this chapter. Like the transmutation circle, the ingredients for an adult human (though I did make the assumption an adult Saiyan would be comprised of about the same). Hope you enjoy the flashback. 3

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The memory was all too real, and a reminder.

"You're sure we have everything we need, Bardock?" Tora asked as he laid out an alchemic array drawn on paper for Bardock to copy onto the floor.

Bardock nodded, snagging a piece of chalk and drawing the alchemic array. Callused hands that had once been used to exterminate other alien races now carefully marked every point of the array with an unparalleled accuracy and precision. One wrong mark and it could be certain death. Standing against the wall, Shugesh took a bite of a piece of beef jerky as he leaned in to get a good look at the alchemic array.

"Shouldn't that be the Mercury symbol instead of the Venus symbol?" Shugesh questioned, pointing to a symbol on the array.

Bardock pushed up his glasses with a hint of annoyance. "You're looking at it upside-down, you fool."

Tora shook his head hard, leaning in. "No. Shugesh is right. That should be a Mercury symbol."

Bardock flicked his tail, clearly frustrated now. "And you should have printed it more clearly. I had a feeling Shugesh should have transcribed the symbols."

"Well **excu-use **me, General." Tora sneered, laughing faintly.

"Ohoho. What's this? Fighting over Fasha already, you two?" Shugesh teased them now.

Almost as though reading one another's thoughts--nay, because Bardock was reading Tora's thoughts, both growled at the same time. "Butt out, fatso!"

As soon as Bardock had finished drawing the array, the men gathered the ingredients: thirty-five liters of water, twenty kilograms of carbon, four liters of ammonia, one and a half kilograms of caustic lime, eight hundred grams of phosphorus, two hundred fifty grams of salt, a hundred grams of saltpeter, eighty grams of sulfur, seven and a half grams of fluorine, five grams of iron, three grams of silicon, and two drops of blood. The last had been the hardest, because there were three men, and only two drops needed--in the end, they had settled on a drop each from Tora and Bardock, who had been the closest to Fasha. Shugesh took a deep breath; he planned on charming Fasha with the money he'd earned in this new life in Armestris. Tora cleared his mind; he planned on charming Fasha with his good looks. Bardock let himself slip into a more relaxed state; he planned on charming Fasha with the same charisma that had made him the leader of his platoon. Each man yearned for her, but even moreso, they just wanted their dear friend back. The trio placed the constituent parts into the center of the array.

"Ready?" Tora asked the other two, biting his lip deeply.

"Steady." Shugesh nodded.

After a moment, with the air of commanding that he'd always had, Bardock nodded and ordered. "Go!"

Each put his hands to the array in unison, tapping into the alchemic energies to activate it. What happened next was a blur--an unexpected, horrifying blur. A force--nay, the force of The Gate itself drew each in, made each face it, and ripped away pieces of them. The aftermath was a horrifying conclusion that none of the saiyans who would be alchemists expected. Each was hacking up blood--all of them having lost at least part of a lung in the backlash--but that was the least of their worries. Externally, Tora had lost half his tail, and both forearms; Shugesh had lost half his tail and at least half of each leg. Slate eyes gazed in horror at themselves, and then at their friend, their fearless leader Bardock, who lay upon the ground, gasping for air, his remaining arm reaching for them. One whole leg was missing, as well as most of the other. Only a stub remained of his tail--a quarter of what it had used to be--as he had lost three-quarters of his tail to the backlash.

It was a secret shared among the three, that they dared not share with others. Tora had managed to carry them out with what had been left of his arms, and they had all gone together to get automail prosthetics. None of them had cried, let alone made a peep when the limbs were attached; it wasn't in a saiyan's nature to cry. However, Tora had flinched. Shugesh had clenched his fists. Bardock? He mumbled swears under his breath the whole time, the pain visible on his face.

It was soon after that when Shugesh had parted ways first and headed for Rush Valley. Tora had stayed in Resembool. Bardock himself? He had went to Central to take the test to become a State Alchemist.

He had passed the written exam with flying colors. The practical was a piece of cake. Then came the physical. The doctors had been astounded at the sight of his scars. Moreso, they were astounded that he had so much automail. He'd been able to lie it off as having been in a train accident.

Cold hard reality snapped back into his mind in the form of the voice of Roy Mustang.

"Steel Will, what are you still doing here in my office? You should be on a train to Resembool." Roy commanded.

Bardock glanced back over his shoulder. "Understood, Colonel. I got lost in my thoughts."

"Get a map next time." The Flame Alchemist quipped.

Mentally, Bardock made a note to flip off Roy Mustang next time he saw that bastard. For now, however, he had his mission--to find Tora in Resembool. Fate seemed to have thrown him a bone for once. He had information on the whereabouts of Tora now. The memory felt real, and now, too, did his mission.


	3. Fullmetal and Steel Will

Disclaimer: AirGuitaringKlavier does not own DBZ or FMA. DBZ is owned by Funimation, Toei Animation/Fuji TV, and Akira Toriyama, and FMA is owned by Funimation, Studio Bones/Animax, and Hiromu Arakawa. Please suppor--okay. I don't own either series. And I totally yanked this disclaimer idea from the geniuses known as Team Four Star (by the way, totally watch DBZ the Abridged. It's an awesome parody.)

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Authornotes: I'm finally bringing Edward and Alphonse into this. I know things are going to get exaggerated like Ed's "shorty" rants. Bear with me. Also: warning--spoilers for FMA (if you haven't already seen it or read the manga), and spoilers for Chapter 6 of the fic.

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A train station is usually the one place you'll meet someone like you.

This was no different for Bardock, who had his bags packed and had changed out of his uniform and into civilian clothes. It was an order he'd been given as he was leaving Roy's office--wear civilian clothing rather than the uniform, as Tora would suspect something if a state alchemist burst into his home in uniform. He adjusted the collar of his tan undershirt uncomfortably, then smoothed out his grayish-brown duster and his black slacks. He wore black gloves on his hands to hide the automail; after all, it got tiring to have to tell the same lies over and over.

As he stepped onto the platform, his slate eyes fixed themselves upon two other figures standing on the platform: a short young man and a suit of armor. They too were waiting for the train to Resembool, albeit for slightly different reason. Bardock scanned the features of the young man first, and then the realization dawned on him. He'd seen a photo of this boy before! This was the Fullmetal Alchemist himself, Edward Elric. However, it didn't seem that Edward had seen him before, let alone hear about him.

"Big brother, it appears there's someone else getting on the train with us." A hollow young boy's voice emanated from the armor with a slight echo.

Bardock had been taken aback. Did that suit of armor just speak? And did it just call Edward "big brother"?

"Galaxies!" He exclaimed with an astonished tone, leaning in for a closer look.

The suit of armor took off his head to reveal no one inside--just a blood seal on the inside of the neck piece. Bardock's eyes widened more than they had before now. An empty suit of armor speaking? He must be delirious!

Now he seemed more than curious--more along the lines of freaked out. "Great galaxies!"

"Sorry." The armor apologized. "I'm Alphonse Elric. Pleased to meet you Mr.--"

"Son. Bardock Son." Bardock bowed, an almost automatic reaction from him. "I didn't expect to meet anyone here. Certainly not you and your short 'brother' here."

Edward's golden eyes flickered with rage. "Who are you calling so short that you could crush him under your thumb without even breaking a sweat?! I'm not short! You're just too tall you four-eyed jerk!"

Bardock was rather blunt with his answer. "You. And I'd watch what you say." Here, he pushed up his glasses for dramatic effect, the light casting an eerie sheen over the lenses. "Do you understand, small whelp?"

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL THAT HE COULD PLAY HIDE AND SEEK WITH THE ELECTRONS IN AN ATOM AND WIN EVERY TIME, SCARFACE?!" Edward screamed now, standing on the tips of his toes and beating the tall saiyan's chest with his automail fist.

Within a blink of an eye, a steel tail flashed out from beneath the duster and struck Edward, knocking him to the ground. "Calm down, boy. You'll draw attention to us."

Ed stared, almost in awe, and partly in fear. He stared at the tail now, his jaw dropping. Seventy-five percent of it was a full-steel automail replacement. From what he could see of the other twenty-five percent of the tail, it was originally a more monkey-like tail.

"What are you, metal monkey?"

The word "monkey" had struck a chord in the saiyan's mind. That was the same word Frieza used to insult his race. Breath caught in his lungs for a moment, the nightmares of Frieza having risen to the surface of his mind for a moment before his steel will resolved itself once more, and he drew back a fist--his automail fist.

"No one calls me that. Not even Roy Mustang." He growled, clenching the automail fist tighter. Any tighter and he would accidentally sever the delicate connections.

Edward tensed at the mere mention of the Colonel. So he was a thorn in someone else's side too?

Just as he started to swing the punch, a sensation started to seize his body and he went rigid, his eyes pinning. However, in the recesses of Bardock's mind, something was happening. Visions swirled. A building caving in? Gracia Hughes pointing a gun at Maes in a telephone booth? Maes Hughes' limp, cold body on the ground bleeding? What was this?! As Bardock broke from the visions, he panted and shook. A dry throat barely managed to eke out one single word. "Hughes..."

"Huh?" Edward blinked as he stood up. "What're you talking about Lieutenant Colonel Hughes for?"

"I can't lose a close friend. Not again. No. NO!" Bardock suddenly turned his fist to the ground, slamming the automail through the wooden floor of the platform. His glove tore, revealing the steel prosthetic beneath it.

Edward's eye caught the glint of metal. "You too?"

"Huh?" Bardock's coal eyes glanced up to the younger alchemist as he questioned. "What do you mean, Fullmetal?"

"Automail." Edward replied, leaning in closer. "That's definitely like Granny Pinako would make."

"Pinako Rockbell? You know her?"

"Yeah. She's the closest thing Al and I have to family right now."

Edward held out his hand for Bardock to take now, a faint smile crossing his features. The saiyan looked down the the ground for a moment, then took Edward's hand carefully and allowed him to help him up. Eyes misted over, but he did not cry; saiyan warriors never cried.

"Big brother, he's got a pocketwatch with the same engraving." Alphonse announced. He'd caught a glimpse of another flash of metal--Bardock's pocketwatch, like Edward's, a symbol of him becoming a state alchemist. "He's a State Alchemist!"

Edward tilted his head. "You sure, Al? He just looks like a regular guy to me. Except the metal monkey tail."

"Fullmetal, watch your tongue." Bardock growled, an eye twitching before his features returned to a stern expression. "Or you'll face Steel Will."

Edward blinked. What did this nutjob mean? Face "steel will"? Who or what was this so-called "steel will" that he spoke of. However, before he could say anything, Alphonse spoke.

"Excuse me. Steel Will? What do you mean my big brother will have to face 'Steel Will?'" Alphonse asked.

Bardock gave a cock-sure smirk now. "The Steel Will Alchemist. Me."

"Isn't that weird? You've got a metal-based name too." Edward quipped.

Bardock gave a smile and chuckled. "You and I are a lot alike, Fullmetal. I think I like you. Even if you are short and a hothead."

"Who are you calling so short that you'd need an oil-immersion lens to see him under a microscope? And who are you calling a hothead that could fry an omlette and bacon on his forehead?!" Edward growled, pounding the taller man's chest once more. Bardock laughed, allowing the pipsqueak to take out his anger now. No need to fight back. This kid was like him. Only short and with an even shorter temper.

Alphonse shook his head as the train pulled up. "The train's here."

Bardock lifted his old, beaten-up secondhand luggage over his shoulder. "Well, boys, I guess we'd best get on this train."

"Of course, Steel Will." Edward nodded.

"And don't get stuck in the baggage compartment, Fullmetal." Bardock taunted.

"Only if you don't get stuck in a banana tr--" Edward shot back.

"Let's just get on the train!" Alphonse protested.

As the three boarded the train, one thing was for certain. The Fullmetal would be a good friend and confidante to have during this trip to Resembool.


	4. Pride and Trust

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA. I don't own DBZ. I don't even own trains. Also, this is for my jollies and if you want to put it up on your site, message me and I'll let you link to it or however you wanna do it as long as you credit me.

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Authornotes: As much as I hate the Ocean Dub of DBZ, it does make for good joke opportunities. Sorry you're going to have to put up with an Ocean Dub reference that sets up for good joke potential. Also: continuing with that spoiler for chapter six of the fic/FMA spoiler if you haven't alread seen Fullmetal Alchemist.

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The train seems to serve as a place to learn about your new comrades.

When the trio were adjusted in their seats, there wasn't much else to do on the train. After all, there wasn't any reason to practice any sort of combat alchemy or anything for anyone to repair. Edward looked at his automail hand for a moment, then glanced over to Bardock's. They had spoken of Pinako Rockbell earlier--the automail-smith that had made Edward's automail. Was it possible that she'd had to make more automail?

"Remember saying something about Granny Pinako while we were waiting for the train?" Edward suddenly spoke.

Coal eyes glanced to Edward now. Bardock blinked a couple of times. "Yeah."

"Did she make yours too? The automail, I mean?" Edward asked. "It looks a lot like her craftsmanship."

"Such fine craftsmanship too, wouldn't you say? Yes. It's a Rockbell creation." Bardock gave a smirk. "I have to hand it to her--she's damn good for a human. More skilled with such a deed than a Saiyan for sure." Sometimes he just had to admit other beings were just as astounding as his own kind.

"Saiyan?" Edward tilted his head.

"An alien warrior race. I'm one." Bardock lofted a brow, smirking. "I'm not even the only one here though."

"So you're an alien? T'ch. Yeah right. I'll believe it when someone proves aliens exist." Edward rolled his eyes. He was a man of science, not superstition. But now that he knew about the arm, he still thought he needed to ask more questions. "Why did you need an automail arm anyway?"

"You'd better keep this a secret. If word gets out, I'm screwed." Bardock hissed before dropping his voice. "Two friends and I attempted the ultimate sin--Human Transmutation."

Edward froze up. Yet another being that had done the unthinkable? He was beginning to think that Human Transmutation was the fruit of the tree of good and evil, and everyone who performed it had taken a huge bite. Not that he was a religious man.

"You know the ingredients, right?" Edward asked. "Thirty-five liters of water. Twenty kilograms of carbon. Four liters of ammonia. One and a half kilograms of caustic lime--"

"Eight hundred grams of phosphorus. Two hundred fifty grams of salt. A hundred grams of saltpeter. Eighty grams of sulfur. Seven and a half grams of fluorine. Five grams of iron. Three grams of silicon. And for the soul, two drops of blood." Bardock finished. He then put his hand on his chest narcissistically. "Of course I would know this, being a brilliant scienti--"

Edward cut him off. "Liar! You got that out of the book like me!"

Alphonse laughed. "He caught you!"

"No, really, I am! I used to study other alien races! I worked with chemicals! I blew shit up! I developed and studied the effects of new ki abilities! I was skeptical about the paranormal!" The Saiyan alchemist protested, his glasses sliding down his nose with each attempt at making his point.

Edward shook his head. "I believe you. Sheesh, you're more touchy than Musta--"

"Compare me to that morally bankrupt megalomaniac nymphomaniac of a Colonel again and I swear to the galaxies in the sky that I will not hesitate to kill you." Bardock shot a glare at Edward. "I have killed before. And I might kill again."

Alphonse leaned forward. "Brother doesn't mean anything by it."

Bardock sighed, leaning back some now. He felt a little guilty now--Alphonse Elric had that effect on people, even Saiyans. He'd just been guilt tripped by a talking suit of armor. Just when he thought his old low was becoming a dog of the military. Coal eyes glanced awkwardly to his hands now; when had he become this soft? When he'd held the dying Tora in their previous lives on the other side of the gate? Nay, it had to be sooner, didn't it? Was it when he'd seen Kakarrot, before ever having the desire to hold him? He questioned himself now more than ever.

He seemed to have ruminated for quite a while before Edward broke him from his thoughts. "I'm sorry."

Coal eyes glanced up toward the back of the train seat in front of them, then to Edward. "Huh?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it." Edward gave a soft murmur.

Bardock shook his head. "I shouldn't get so hotheaded. It was my downfall once. I don't want a repeat of it again--the psychotic careening toward the upper atmosphere. Nay, to that tyrant's spacecraft. I thought I had a chance. I thought I was going to change the future. But...that was just me trying to be idealistic. I know better now, kid."

"You sure you didn't hit your head?" Edward suddenly quirked a brow. Spacecraft? Psychotic careening toward the atmosphere? Obviously the Steel Will Alchemist had to be off his rocker.

"I knew no one would understand." Bardock grunted, standing up and walking away from the seat. He needed to get away from those boys for a moment. He needed to be alone with his thoughts.

"Big brother...should we--" Alphonse began.

Edward frowned softly. "No. Let him sort it out himself."

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A tongue licked dry lips before the steel hand pulled a hip flask out and took a sip. After the sip, a grayish-brown sleeve wiped the excess alcohol from parched lips. If this kid wasn't going to understand, there was no way Hughes would understand; Maes definitely wouldn't believe an alien from another world could see the future and that he was going to get shot by his wife.

Coal eyes could see feet appreaching, but not much else.

"Hey. Uh...Bardock?" Edward's voice seem halted and hesitant. He didn't want to hurt him worse than he was hurting.

The saiyan looked up now, his eyes half-lidded; he attributed it to tiredness and being drunk. "What is it? Come to tell me that I'm a living contradiction again?"

Edward closed his eyes and shook his head. "No. It's just that Al and I were talking and...if he believes you, I believe you. I don't claim to believe that I know there to be life on other plantets, but I guess it's a possibility."

"Hmph. So you're taking pity on me?" The proud saiyan warrior turned away. "Saiyans don't need pity. We're not prideless like you foolish humans are."

Edward growled, slapping him across the face. "Don't you even care?! Someone shows the least bit of trust and you just clam up!"

"I don't need your fake trust, you stupid whelp!" Here, Bardock shoved Edward back, hunkering down in the corner he'd let himself flop in earlier. He didn't dare show his face; that was just an excuse for Edward to take away his pride. And that was the only thing a Saiyan like him had--his pride.

A white gloved hand extended. "I'm not faking it. Listen to a voice of reason you stubborn prick!"

Coal eyes glanced to Edward now, dancing with the same kind of horror as they had when he'd seen Tora die back in their old lives. The drink had addled his brain some; yes, he was prideful and stubborn, but was it really that bad just to accept help? Trembling, he took Edward's hand and let the teenager pull him up.

Hastily, his eyes darted aside. "I apologize."

"Let's just get back in our seats. It's another hour to Resembool." Edward said. "And don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

"Right." Bardock nodded, taking another quick sip from his hip flask before following the teen boy back to their seat.

On the train, Bardock learned something about the Elric brothers. He could trust them.


	5. New Beginnings and Old Sorrows

Disclaimer: Mitz does not own FMA. She does not own DBZ either. Nor does she own that little sheep in Resembool. She is, however, the proud owner of a set of Edward and Alphonse figures. Wanna feature my fic on a site? Contact and credit me. ;D

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Authornotes: I'm well aware Saiyans can't fly fast enough to shatter the spacetime barrier. Hell, I'm well aware that it wouldn't cause an interdimensional portal that leads right through the gate, but just read to figure it out. Watch out for another surprise character, and watch out for that falling spoiler YET AGAIN.

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Resembool was a place of peace, and a place of new beginnings, as well as second chances, and yet it was a place of sorrows, old and new.

The train arrived at the station in the afternoon; Edward and Alphonse were off to the Rockbells' home for Winry to adjust Edward's automail. Bardock, however, had no clear place to go--the file listed an address that may not have even been in use anymore, but it was worth a shot.

"I guess this is where we part ways." Bardock gave an almost sad smile. He'd grown fond of the Elric boys.

Edward nodded. "I guess so. Who knows, maybe we'll meet each other again." Here, the diminutive teenager gave a cautiously optimistic smile.

----

After several minutes' walking from the train station, he finally found himself in front of the shack bearing the last known address of his dear friend Tora. He gripped the file under his right arm, his suitcase in hand. With his free left hand, he rapped at the door.

"Oi! Tarble! Can you get that?"

Bardock knew that voice anywhere. Tora! He was there! For a moment, his heart soared; he'd finally found one friend, and still the other remained. The door opened to an unfamiliar, sweet-faced young man with spiked hair and slate eyes. For a moment, Bardock swore he saw a tail, but thought nothing of it--usually such things were wishful thinking.

"H-hi. Whoever you are, our teacher says he doesn't want any." Tarble stammered. Suddenly his eyes widened as he looked up. "K-Kakarrot?! Is that you?!"

Tora towered over Tarble from behind, giving a scoffing laugh. "Pay no mind to Tarble. He's obviously never met you. It's good to see you again, Bardock."

Tarble blinked. "So he's..."

A gruff voice rose behind Tarble. "Who did you think he was? Kakarrot?!"

Bardock tensed. His son's name--it made him shiver to think about the man. Where was he now? Probably still fighting like a hero?

Tora waved his left hand in front of Bardock's eyes. "Hello. Anyone home?"

"Kakarrot..." Bardock murmured, his eyes pinning for a moment. Eyes misted once again, but no tears fell. A saiyan warrior never cried.

Sitting at the table, a tall young man tensed somewhat. He'd been learning to drive back the urges that came when the name Kakarrot echoed in his mind, but found it difficult sometimes. Sharp teeth clenched on the collar of his shirt. The young man at the table seemed to have a pained look in his eyes by this point, having suppressed his power to extremes.

"Please stop saying his name." A soft, deep voice murmured.

Tora glanced back. "Right. Almost forgot, Broly."

The young man bowed his head. "Thank you, Master Tora."

--------

Once Bardock was settled in, Tora sat down at the table with him, a cigarette between his automail fingers. He'd been able to pass it off as a harvest accident, as he lived in Resembool now; no one knew that he had been caught up in Human Transmutation. It felt good to have finally reconnected with one of his old friends.

"How's life as a dog of the military?" Tora teased.

Bardock's eyes darted aside. "Same old, same old. Mustang says something about miniskirts. I smart off. Everyone's in shock and awe until I nearly get flamed in the face. An urgent issue comes. Mustang gives someone a mission. Lather. Rinse. Repeat." Suddenly, Bardock's eyes turned back toward Tora. "Oh! Then sometimes I play chess with Hughes. He's my new bes--"

"But I'm your best friend!" Tora protested.

"Yes. But I can have more than one." Bardock pushed up his glasses now. "You're my first though."

A sweet voice came up from behind him. "...That did not come out right."

"Am-scray, Tarble! Go work on your alchemy! You're deficient compared to your brother and Broly!" Tora growled.

Tarble pouted and walked away with his tail hanging low between his legs. Bardock laughed faintly, pressing his right middle and ring fingers into his temple, letting the cold steel press gently into the flesh. Tora glanced to his old friend now; time had not treated either of them well. It had worn Tora's nerves thin to the point where he'd taken up smoking, and Bardock was no different with his hip flask of whiskey.

After a while, Bardock finally spoke. "So you've taken on students? Why am I not surprised?"

"Because I'm the personable one and you're the grouch." Tora snickered.

"Oh har har, so funny I forgot to laugh." Bardock gave a dry tone now. "No. Seriously. Why'm I not surprised?"

"Because the two princes wanna get home, and...I've taken a shine to Broly. He's a sweet kid when he's not a raging psycho." Tora shrugged.

--------

After about an hour of catching up, Tora was the first to get up. He had seen an eerie blue glow from the next room, and went to check on his students--Tarble in particular, who still didn't seem to grasp Alchemy very easily despite his eagerness to learn. The younger saiyan prince puffed out his cheeks. Bardock stayed behind, his mind falling back upon his mission.

"Damnit! Vegeta! You scuffed that on purpose!" He whined pulling himself away from the wall.

Vegeta never once looked at Tarble, but smirked. "I did nothing of the sort. You drew it sloppy as usual. This is why you don't progress."

The younger prince's face grew red as he yanked out another sheet of paper and started transcribing a transmutation circle onto it before placing a broken radio in the middle. He slammed his hands down on the circle, and a blue glow flashed. Suddenly, the radio was whole again, as though it had never been broken.

"I DID IT!" Tarble blurted out.

Tora clapped his automail hands together. "You sure did. Hey! Bardock! Come in here!"

Bardock broke from his musings. "Huh?!"

"Oi! You coming or not?" Tora ribbed him.

The saiyan state alchemist staggered into the room, seeing a transmutation circle on a scrap of paper, and a radio. It brought a smile to his face--the same transmutation that had been his very first as well. He laughed softly, clapping metal against skin and smiling. After all, a budding alchemist had improved, if only a little.

"Good work, Tarble." He smiled gently before ruffling the youngest saiyan prince's hair.

Vegeta glanced over his shoulder now. "So he actually did it for once? I'm suprised."

Tarble picked the radio up and placed it on the shelf in the room. He was rather proud of his accomplishment--he'd finally done something he set out to do. After all, he'd been the one to accidentally break the radio in a clumsy accident while cleaning. Vegeta gave a quick smirk--one that seemed to show pride in his younger brother's deed; apparently he'd been prodding the other into improving.

"I've got a question for the two of you." Bardock suddenly spoke, the wheels in his mind having turned once more.

Tarble and Vegeta glanced to him.

"How did you get here?"

Vegeta hiked a thumb at Tarble as though to implicate the younger.

------

Bardock had led Tarble back toward the table; it was best to sit while talking about something like this. As Tarble told the story, Bardock took sips of the whiskey in his hip flask.

"I guess it was about...six months ago, give or take, when we did it." Tarble murmured, hunching over the table some. "Vegeta was a little reluctant to race me--I guess he knew what he was doing though--because I'd kept on goading him to go faster and faster. I suppose we got too fast at some point because everything started to slow down around us--time and space both--and suddenly the scenery kept changing and when we finally were able to slow down enough...we were here."

Bardock lifted a brow. "It sounds impossible. No, implausible and impossible at best."

"Eh?" Tarble lifted his head, eyes wide.

"You're telling me that somehow you broke every law of physics?" Bardock quirked a brow before taking a sip from his flask.

Tarble gulped. "I guess it does sound a little odd. I mean, he and I were flying in odd patterns and stuff too. I did a whole loop-de-loop and he seemed to do a bigger one around mine, and then we zigged and zagged at each other and then we flew side by side and at about the moment our fingertips touched...blammo...time and space slowed down and the scenery changed and we were here."

Suddenly, Tarble found himself soaked in saliva and whiskey. He grimaced some; it was just like that time that Tora had blown smoke in his face in surprise before coughing several times. Come to think of it, it was also just like that time that Broly had choked on his tea after hearing that; after all, the Legendary had been there longer, and had been studying alchemy under Tora for a year before Tarble and Vegeta had shown up.

"Kid! Do you re--" Bardock began before Tarble cut him off.

Tarble growled. "I'm not a kid! I'm a grown man!"

"Well **excuse** me, Prince." Bardock grunted. "Do you realize what you might have done?"

"Huh?" Tarble blinked.

"An inadvertent Transmutation Circle in the sky. Which means...it's possible to do alchemy there as well!" Bardock seemed almost adamant now.

Tora smirked and laughed. "That's Bardock for you. He can deduce things real quick-like."

Vegeta leaned against a wall and huffed. "Which means that Kakarrot could find a way here if he could find our energies."

"You don't say." Bardock murmured. "So, about the other one? How'd he get here anyway?"

Tora shrugged. Tarble propped his elbows on the table, then leaned his head over on his hands. Vegeta looked away as well. It seemed none of the three really knew how Broly had got there, so it was up to him to ask the Legendary. He got up and walked into the other room as the others glanced away.

-------

"Are you awake?" Bardock asked.

Broly glanced up from his knees. He had been leaning against the wall, his head having been hanging down in front of his knees as though he were asleep. That was, however, not much more than an illusion; he'd been awake the whole time, stewing with thoughts, an alchemy text laying on the floor wide open to the section on Human Transmutation, though Bardock couldn't see the book beyond the large figure of the younger saiyan.

"I've been awake the whole time." Broly murmured. His tone seemed half-hearted, almost depressed at best.

A steel hand rested atop Broly's head now before Bardock ruffled a few strands of hair. He seemed almost sympathetic--no, seemed was too weak a statement. He was sympathetic to the plight of the younger, having seen the depths of despair before when he'd found his friends' limp cold bodies on Planet Meat.

Bardock spoke softly. "I'd like to talk, if you feel up to it."

"...Then talk." Those words seemed almost hollow coming from the younger.

"How did you get here?" The words had slipped off Bardock's tongue almost immediately and without much thought.

Broly glanced down for a moment, then spoke. "My father Paragus and I died. Not at the same time or anything. Seven years apart, I think. But then King Yemma offered us a second chance to live again. Together. That was a stipulation--we had to go together or not at all. So we took the chance. And he tried to be a good father, and I, the dutiful son. He couldn't control me, and I wasn't allowed to kill him--another stipulation that Yemma put on us--and if it happened, we'd both die immediately. So we lived peacefully, and over time, I realized I was attached to my father."

"Then...where is your father?" Bardock narrowed his eyes. He seemed suspicious. "Where is Paragus?"

Broly sighed. "He...passed on. A little over a year ago. Two months after I first started learning alchemy if I remember right. He'd fallen ill and one day, when I got home from my studies with Tora, there he was, upright in his chair, coughing heavily. I tried to help him, but he...he died. Right there. I still remember his last words. 'It wasn't yet time.'"

Coal eyes flickered with a hint of sorrow. So Paragus had passed on? No wonder his boy was so cold and quiet; Bardock looped his automail arm around Broly now and gave him a sympathetic look before his face grew stern.

"I know what you're thinking." The older man frowned.

Broly blinked. "Huh? A-are you psychic or something?!"

"Yes. But I know even without psychic powers. Remember how Icarus flew too close to the sun and his wings melted? Alchemists weren't meant to trespass in that higher domain--life and death--the realm of a god of sorts." Bardock's eyes seemed steely now. "If Tora told you the same, it's probably because he and I have been there."

"...You...don't understand at all. I'm willing to lose all of myself to bring back my father if I have to!" For a moment, Broly's eyes flickered to a greenish hue and Bardock could have sworn he saw a flash of blond in the younger saiyan's hair.

Bardock unhooked his arm from around the shoulder of Broly and slammed his fist into the wall, showing the full-steel prosthetic that had replaced his arm. "We lost so much, and gained NOTHING. You don't understand you foolish whelp! This is the price of the damned! And for what? A creature that writhed for a few seconds before dying without a soul?!"

Broly stared in horror, a single tear slipping down his cheek. "That's...not true. It...can't be. You're lying..."

"Believe what you want. But don't cry to me when you nearly die trying to bring your father back." Bardock growled, getting up, turning to go back into the main room.

A shaky hand reached for Bardock's pantleg. As the fingers gripped tightly, Some of the fabric tore, revealing the full steel prosthetic leg beneath. Broly could only stare before his hand slipped off the fabric; Bardock's footsteps got further and further away.

Resembool was a place of peace and of new beginnings, but the same old sorrows repeated themselves.


	6. Heading for a Heartbreak

Disclaimer: I still do not own DBZ or FMA. I do however consider myself the proud owner of a set of Elric brother figures which are not harassing my Midvalley figure at this moment.

* * *

Authornotes: Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster. You have been warned. Deceptively happy moments lead to...a different end.

* * *

Sometimes, ignorance can be bliss.

But not on a train; in fact, on a train, ignorance can be an annoyance to those around you. Tarble couldn't sit still though. This was the first time he'd been on a train. Tora cursed not being in the smoking section, or he would have lit up a cigarette right at that very moment. Bardock was taking copious swigs of whiskey from his hip flask to drown the annoyance. Broly? He silently glared over his alchemy book, plotting Tarble's slow, painful demise.

"Vegeta, are we there yet?" He whined.

"No Tarble," Vegeta sighed. "No, we're not."

"How 'bout now?" Tarble asked eagerly.

"No, goddamnit Tarble!" Vegeta growled.

A girl in the next compartment thumped on the door with her wrench. "Shut up!"

-------

After a while, the group of Bardock, Tora, Vegeta, Tarble finally arrived in Central City. However, they were not the only ones to disembark from the train. Alongside them was a blond girl in a thin-strapped tank-top and a black miniskirt. This was Winry Rockbell, who Tora and Bardock remembered well; Pinako's granddaughter, who was an excellent automail mechanic in her own right.

"Augh...my butt hurts...those guys sure do get on these trains a lot even when it's like this..." Winry was already complaining.

"Oh thank kami we're off that damn train. If I had to put up with Tarble's annoying yammering for another second, I was going to strangle him!" Bardock growled. "And I'm sure that I'm to the point where I've just barely got blood in my alcohol system!"

Tora shook his head. "Ah, don't be complaining anymore. He shut up when we got here."

"Only because Vegeta taped his mouth shut." Bardock laughed. "Or else he'd be all 'YAY! THE STATION! IT'S SO BIIIIIIIIIIG!'"

Vegeta dragged Tarble along. "Can we just get out of here already? He's driving me insane!"

Broly sighed and shook his head. His travelling companions were the craziest bunch he'd ever met. He stayed silent the whole time, not having much to say for the most part. After all, he wasn't much of a master of words to begin with, not to mention he wasn't in a talking mood.

As the group left the station, Bardock paused.

"You guys go somewhere and enjoy yourselves a bit. I've got some important business to attend to." He ordered, pulling out the file he'd been carrying this whole time. It now had a neatly typewritten report; he'd had Tora's help constructing some of the lies. After all, they had to keep it a secret.

------

He didn't expect to see Maes Hughesso overly joyed on the phone.

"_Lieutenant Colonel Hughes..._" Mustang growled lowly over the phone. He was getting rather fed-up with the 'social call' he was getting. "_**I am busy at work right now.**_"

Bardock slapped the file down in front of Hughes, who was too busy bragging about his daughter. For a moment, dark eyes glanced to the file, then to Bardock, then Hughes gave him a thumbs up and lipped, "I'll get this to Roy."

However, the saiyan couldn't help it; the urge to eavesdrop was much too strong, so he stayed.

After a few minutes of what sounded like Roy growling and hearing Hughes bragging about Elicia, Bardock finally got bored of his eavesdropping and left. After all, there were better ways to spend the rest of the day, like finding the others and finding a place to stay for the night. Not to mention finding a place to get some food at.

------

"So uh, who's this Elric guy?" Tarble asked, swishing his tail beneath his trenchcoat as the five walked to the hospital.

Tora lofted a brow. "You don't remember me telling you about Edward Elric?"

"Oh! You mean the Fullmetal?!" Tarble blinked.

Bardock smirked. "Yeah. I've actually travelled with him on a train. Smart kid. Knows a ton about alchemy."

Finally, the five came upon the room. Winry was already at Edward's bedside, alongside Sergeant Brosh, and another familiar face.

"Maes?!" Bardock sputtered.

"Visiting Ed too, eh? You're a real nice guy, Scarface." Hughes teased. "Good thing we're both off-duty right now, huh?"

"After pawning your work off on Sciezka." Bardock muttered.

After a while of formalities and snark, not only was Winry about to leave to find herself an inn, but so was Bardock and his "posse". That was, until they heard the magic words.

"You can stay over at my house!" Hughes offered."

"I don't want to impose myself on someone I just met..." Winry started to decline politely.

"Y-yeah! It wouldn't be right of us to do it either, Mr. Hughes!" Tarble said with a hint of polite regret.

"Don't worry about it! My family would be delighted!" Hughes gushed before dragging Winry and Tarble out the door. The rest followed slowly behind, Bardock and Broly being the last ones to leave the room.

------

"Papa! Welcome home!" Elicia greeted excitedly.

Gracia smiled sweetly. "Oh my, and such a charming group of guests too."

Hughes immediately scooped his daughter up, hugging her closer. "Elicia, I wanted to see you!"

After some formal introductions, Winry was the first to kneel in front of Elicia. "Elicia, how old are you?"

"Tw..." Elicia began, holding up two fingers. Suddenly she put up another finger. "Thwee!"

"Awwwww! So cuuuuuuuuuuute!" Maes and Winry gushed.

Tora chuckled. "Adorable kid. Makes me wish I had a kid of my own..."

Even Broly couldn't help but smile an honest smile as he eyed Elicia. He was the next to kneel of course, placing his large hand atop Elicia's head and ruffling her hair as gently as he could. "Such a bright child. Your father must be really proud of you."

Winry spoke up. "Are you really sure this is okay?"

"Isn't it more fun to enjoy the festivities with everyone?" Gracia Hughes replied, smiling. "Welcome to our home. All of you."

After a while, the birthday party for Elicia Hughes began. There was, of course, the usual singing and birthday wishes, but there was also a large table spread with food as far as the eye could see, and at the head of the table was the birthday girl, Elicia Hughes herself. After a while, the children seemed to be enjoying the toys--alongside Tarble, who was, of course, the most childlike of the saiyan guests, and had gotten Elicia a plush rabbit. Meanwhile, the older crowd--parents of the younger guests, Winry, the Hughes couple, and the four remaining saiyans--were celebrating the festivities with food and social mingling. After a while, Elicia came up to Hughes with a toy mouse, claiming it wasn't working. Winry set to work repairing the gears, then gave it back to Elicia, who was delighted to see the "toy doctor" in action.

The next morning, Winry and the group of saiyans were about to leave for the day. However, just before any of them could leave, Elicia clutched to Winry's right sleeve and Broly's left pantleg.

"Oh dear. She's gotten totally attached to you two..." Gracia laughed softly.

"Looks like she thinks of you as a sister and a brother." Hughes commented, laughing a little louder than his wife.

"Eh?" Winry blinked a few times.

Broly gave a surprised look. "Hm?!"

"Sis! Have a safe twip and come back soon!" Elicia smiled to Winry first. She then turned to the large youngest saiyan. "You too, big bwudder!"

Gracia smiled sweetly. "I guess you know where you're staying today."

Winry knelt down to hug Elicia first. "I'm so happy to have made such an adorable little sister."

She then got up and left, leaving Broly to kneel by Elicia.

He placed his hand on her head once more. "Such a happy child. I am happy to...be a 'big brother' to you."

-----------

That afternoon, Winry would depart with the Elric brothers. Maes was working late, as was Bardock, who was willing to help Hughes with his research; he was going to keep an eye on the man and try to protect him if possible. The other four stayed at the Hughes residence, waiting.

After a while, Maes left the room, letting no one follow him. He said it had to do with research in the archives. After a while, he noticed the disturbing trend occuring. Someone slipped in the room behind him--a rather busty, black-dress-clad woman with long black hair and an ouroboros tattoo on her chest.

"How do you do?" She spoke in a sultry voice. "Or...shall I call this 'goodbye' instead, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes?"

Maes tensed up. "Pretty fancy tattoo you have there, missy."

The woman extended her claws and smirked. "You know too much, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

She then proceeded to impale him in the right shoulder as he reached for one of his throwing knives; afterwards, he dropped to the ground in pain before pulling himself up and staggering to the phones. No one was aware of his situation except the secretary, who assumed he was only going to brag about his family over the phone as usual. That was, until she noticed the bleeding.

"Lieutenant Colonel! You're bleeding!" She shrieked.

Maes grunted. "It's nothing. I'm commandeering the phone to call the preisident's office!"

He picked up the phone, then suddenly slammed it down.

"Sorry for interrupting you." He mumbled.

"Ah?! Lieutenant Colonel! Please!" The secretary seemed more adamant now.

Maes staggered outside to the phone booth so he could make his call in private, unaware that he had been followed by a shadowy figure, and blissfully unaware that he'd dropped his photo of himself and his family. He was hurried as he tried to make the call. This information couldn't wait!

Suddenly, the figure behind him, who appeared to be Maria Ross, pointed a gun at him and questioned. "Can you put the phone down, Lieutenant Colonel?"

Maes glanced back.

Maria commanded. "Put the phone down." The gun remained trained on Maes the whole time.

"Second Lieutenant Ross?" Maes sputtered. Suddenly, he tensed, realizing something was amiss. "...No you aren't...WHO ARE YOU?!"

"I'm Second Lieutenant Maria Ross. We met many times at the hospital." The figure insisted.

"No, you aren't." Maes growled. "Second Lieutenant Ross has a mole beneath her left eye!"

The figure froze up before smirking. "Oh. Is that so? I was being careless..." Here, they paused, placing a hand to their cheek and forming the mole. "Is this okay?"

Maes stared in horror. "What the hell? This is like something you'd see in a dream!"

The figure cackled. "That's right. You're having the ultimate nightmare. What a terrible disaster, and all because you're too smart for your own good, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes."

The Lieutenant Colonel stiffened. "Hey. Hey. Cut me some slack! I've got a wife and a kid waiting at home for me...I CAN'T DIE HERE!" Here, he moved to throw a throwing knife at the figure, who suddenly shifted form.

Now he was staring in the face of his own wife, Gracia, with horror. But it wasn't the real Gracia--he knew as much.

"Nice effects, aren't they, Lieutenant Colonel Hughes?" The figure who masqueraded as Gracia taunted. "You wouldn't stab your wife, would you?"

Suddenly, a shot rang out. Hughes lay cold and dead in the payphone, having been shot to death.

-------

A procession of pallbearers carried the casket draped with the Armestrian flag, and topped with the uniform hat that had once belonged to Maes Hughes. Among the civilians stood Gracia and Elicia, as well as Tora, Vegeta, Tarble, and Broly. Among the military stood the multitudes of the enlisted, from regular soldiers, to state alchemists such as Fuhrer King Bradley, Major Alex Louis Armstrong, Colonel Roy Mustang, and Major Bardock Son.

Tiny Elicia Hughes tugged at her mother's dress. "Mama...why are they burying papa...? Why are those men burying papa?"

Gracia could scarcely hold back the tears now. "Elicia..."

"Don't! Papa can't go back to work if you do that!" Elicia begged tearfully.

"Eli..." Gracia began, unable to hold back the tears anymore as she took her daughter into her arms.

"Papa always said he had lots of work! Don't! Don't...Don't bury him!"

All who could hear her pleas were brought to tears. Man and woman, civilan and military. Even Bardock, who swore that a saiyan warrior never cried, could feel the tears running down his face. This wasn't right. This wasn't fair! He should have been able to stop this, but the visions had come true anyway and all he could do was hang his head in shame. Tora wiped his eyes on his sleeves, his heart rended by the tearful pleading of the little girl. Vegeta held Tarble close, both brothers with varying degrees of tears in their eyes--Vegeta's eyes misted over, and Tarble with warm tears running down his cheeks as he clutched closer to his older brother. The ever-stoic Broly even found himself in tears, the same kind he'd shed a little over a year ago when his own father had passed on.

As a multitude left, Elicia broke from her mother's grip and tried to run back toward the grave. She was willing to dig up her father if it meant he would suddenly wake up and tell them he had lots of work to do. Suddenly, she was caught by a large figure blocking her path. Broly knelt down in front of her, and he rested his large hand atop her head. He gently ruffled her hair.

With a sad smile, he spoke. "Maybe one day he will come back."

Elicia sniffled, clinging tightly to Broly's leg in front of her. "Promise?"

"I promise, little one." Broly said gently, a tear running down his cheek.

---

In the distance, Roy glanced to them now, his heart breaking; Maes Hughes was dead and never coming back. Bardock, too, felt this hollowing, heart-wrenching pain, but said nothing. It wasn't worth shattering the small girl's hope and dispeling the lie that the Legendary had told her. Roy turned back to the tombstone now, speaking in a pained tone.

"A double promotion for dying in the line of duty? Brigadier General Maes Hughes, huh? You said you'd support me from below. Just what are you going to do now that you've gone higher up than me, you idiot?"

"Colonel." Riza Hawkeye called out. "It's gotten cold. Aren't you going to go back?"

"Yeah. I will." Roy replied. "Alchemists are horrible, predictable people, First Lieutenant. Right now, a part of me is desperately trying to develop a theory on human transmutation. Now I think I understand what those boys felt when they tried to transmute their mother."

"Are you alright?" Riza asked him cautiously.

"I'm fine." Roy answered, putting his uniform hat back on. Suddenly, his voice changed tone as he spoke. "Oh no...it's...raining."

"It's not ra--" Riza began.

Roy cut her off, a tear running down his cheek as he spoke. "No. It's raining."

--------

Broly took Elicia up on his shoulder now, holding her gently to keep her from falling; a half-hearted smile was on his face, as though he were trying to keep a brave face for the tiny girl. Elicia leaned on his head slightly, tears still in her eyes. She missed her papa dearly.

"Big Brother." She murmured. "Take me to mommy."

Gracia Hughes gave a sad smile as Broly approached with Elicia upon his shoulder. On the one hand, Gracia was grateful to see that someone was trying to comfort her daughter now, in this tragic time. On the other hand, the pain of losing Maes gripped tight to her like large suffocating hands.

"Thank you for bringing Elicia to me." She said with a grateful tone, glancing up to Broly, a sad but grateful smile on her face.

"It was nothing, Mrs. Hughes. It was the least I could do to repay your hospitality." He replied, removing Elicia from her spot on his broad shoulder. He then spoke to Elicia with a gentle tone. "Go to your mother, little Elicia."

The tiny girl nodded, gripping to her mother as her "big brother" let her go. "Thank you, big brother!"

As the Hughes left, Broly stood with a sad smile at first, though the smile soon faded into tears before he glanced up to the sky, his hands to his chest.

"Mr. Hughes. If you can hear me, please take good care of my father." He murmured.

From the grave, a faded silhouette of Maes Hughes stood and nodded before saluting the retreating figures of the last few funeral-goers. The faded silhouette of Paragus stood beside him, watching his son with a bittersweet sadness before the two faded back to the afterlife.

Sometimes, ignorance could be bliss. Bardock would have given anything to have been ignorant to what would happen to Maes Hughes, and one could only wonder if playing dumb would have saved Maes Hughes' life.


	7. The Paths of Life

Disclaimer: I still don't own DBZ or FMA. If I did, by now, Ed Elric would be a half-breed saiyan. Capice?

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Authornotes: Remember how last chapter started deceptively happy and ended sad? I thought y'all would like a reversal. 8D;

* * *

Sometimes those who live cannot always forsee where they go on the open road of life.

It was the day after Maes Hughes' funeral, and the one person who had forseen Maes' path was the one person who didn't have the will to get up that morning. Hazy coal eyes stared blankly at the wall; occasionally, they diverted to the cold steel hand that could be seen jutting from beneath the pillow. He'd gotten all his tears out the day before, but still emotions were in turmoil.

A metal fist clanged against the door to the room that Bardock had slept in. "You awake?"

"Go away..." Bardock muttered, closing his eyes and curling up tighter on the bed. He hated everyone and everything at this very moment--especially himself.

"I'm not leaving. Listen, I know Maes was your best friend...just like me...but..." Tora began.

Bardock tensed. "Don't lecture me you bastard! You don't know what it's like."

"You don't know what I know. I know you've lost a best friend before, but answer me this: **did you give up after I died**?" Tora growled, slamming his open hand against the door and leaving it there.

Coal eyes opened wide. Tears Bardock thought had run dry ran anew down his face now. Tora was the voice of reason right now; nay, he'd always been a voice of reason when Bardock needed it. He spoke logic, and yet the emotions of the scar-faced saiyan were winning out in his mind right now.

A dry voice finally replied. "Back then I was a fool. I went to my death alone and numb. I knew who to go after. This time, I don't know who did it. This time I've got people to go with me. I've learned so much from a reckless rush to death. Tora, you don't understand!" With that final growl, the emotionally-charged saiyan flung the pillow he'd been laying his head on.

A cold metal hand grabbed the doorknob and thrusted the door open. Tora slammed his hand on the doorframe now. "What don't I understand? That you're giving up instead of trying to put his killer to justice?"

Bardock gave a hollow laugh now. "Justice? That's a lie, Tora. Is it justice that Frieza got away with murder? It's not about giving up! I could have stopped this. I...had a vision of it happening, and yet...I **did nothing**! I could have warned Maes! I could have stopped his killer!"

"What?" Tora gave a confused look. "What do you mean 'a vision of it happening'?"

"You remember Kanassa, right? Remember the Kanassan that struck me in the back of the head? He really did give me the ability to see the future. I saw this, and I **still** didn't stop it!"

Tora slowly moved toward the bed now. He faintly recalled the incident now; it was something he tried to keep in the back of his mind. A steel hand reached to grip the remaining flesh arm that belonged to his former commander.

"Things happen and even if you forsee them, sometimes you have to let them happen." Tora spoke in a firm but calm voice. "The gunman pulled the trigger, not the guy who saw the future. It was Frieza who destroyed our planet, not a selfless man who was willing to give his damn life for the planet he loved. Stop blaming yourself. You can't always be the goddamn hero, Bardock!"

Tense muscles relaxed. Coal eyes softened and a few final tears slid down Bardock's scarred cheek. Tora was right. He knew too well that Tora was right. Somehow, that lunkhead had gotten through to him. Slowly, he pulled himself up, wriggling free of the larger man's grasp. With a renewed will, Bardock glanced to Tora with the first true smile he'd given since the funeral.

"Thank you." He lipped, leaving the room.

------

"Big Bwother! Don't go!" Elicia wailed as Gracia, Elicia, Vegeta, Tarble, Bardock, and Tora gathered to see Broly off at the train station.

Violet-black eyes fixed themselves on the small girl before Broly reached out his large hand to ruffle blond strands. "I have to, little one. You take care of your mother, alright? Your father would want you to. No. Both of our fathers would want this."

Elicia whimpered. "But why? Why do you have to go?"

"There are kind people in Lior who need help. Innocent people. Alchemy is all about 'be thou for the people', so I'm doing just that. I'm going to be there for the people of Lior." Broly gave a small, gentle smile. "I know you're too young to understand everything I just said. But I want to do something that will make my father smile in the afterlife."

Elicia sniffled. "Will you come back?"

"Of course. I could never leave my 'little sister' forever." Broly gave a genuine smile, pulling his hand away now. He then glanced to Tora. "Master Tora, thank you for teaching me so much. I'll be practicing every day."

"Eh, you're practicing a major creedo of alchemy, so forget about practicing transmutation every day!" Tora gave a bright smile. "And don't forget the Law of Equivalent Exchange."

Broly nodded. "I won't." His eyes then glanced to Bardock. "Thank you for...being a voice of reason when I needed it."

Bardock nodded gently. He understood what the younger had meant; he'd been the one to stop Broly from making his foolish mistake.

A train pulled up to the platform now. Broly lifted a duffel bag over his shoulder and nodded a goodbye to those he knew before boarding the train to Lior. As the train pulled away, he could be seen glancing back toward them out the window. Elicia whimpered and cried some before Gracia took her home.

"We're staying here in Central. The library had some interesting Alchemy information, and I wanted to check it out." Vegeta suddenly spoke. "Maybe I can find something about augmenting my strength. My power."

Tarble nodded in agreement with his older brother. "Yeah! O-oh! And I'll be sure to practice every day, Tora! And one day we'll get home and I promise I won't forget you!"

Tora shook his head and laughed. "I hear ya. You guys take care."

The princes left the train station now, leaving just Bardock and Tora.

"Well, that's a bummer. Looks like we're alone, buddy." Tora laughed softly as he and Bardock walked away from the platform. "So, what are we gonna do?"

"**I** have to make sure that Mustang got that report. Or **you** might get in hot water. Don't say that I'm not looking out for you, ya big lunkhead."

---------------

Later that day, the two found themselves back at the train station. Tora had his old, ratty knapsack, and Bardock, his old beaten-up luggage. Their destination? Tora had already plotted it: Rush Valley.

"Why in the hell are we going to Rush Valley?" The incredulous look on Bardock's face, and the twitching tail said it all.

Tora shook his head. "Don't you get it? Rush Valley's the best place to get upgrades for your automail! It's the Boom Town of the Broken-Down!" The tall saiyan clenched his automail hands into fists, pumping them to the sky.

Coal eyes narrowed more. "And?"

Tora shook his head, laughing. "Well, I've always wanted a hidden knife in my automail. It's so damn hard to cut vegetables while holding a knife in your metal hands, you know? Not to mention I wouldn't mind having a gun installed in one of my arms."

"You know what? I don't need a fancy sword in my arm. I don't need shotguns in my knees. And I certainly don't need a gatling gun in my tail. It doesn't take fancy weapons in your metal limbs to win a fight." Bardock sighed, his flesh palm pressed against his face.

Tora shook his head. "It's so much more than that though! There's also getting it prepped for all sorts of weather. And repa--"

"I'll trust Pinako with repairs, thank you very much. She knows her creations better than some back-alley bum."

"And competitions."

"We have the unfair advantage."

"And isn't that where Shugesh headed?"

Bardock froze in his tracks and couldn't come up with a retort. Tora had convinced him for that reason alone. Catching up with the last link in their chain--Shugesh. When the train arrived, the duo boarded without hesitation; Rush Valley awaited.

----------

Upon their arrival, Bardock and Tora set out to explore the town. Somewhere along the way, the two had gotten separated; Tora was looking for automail upgrades, and Bardock was on a search for Shugesh.

"Get your palm-gun here!" A mechanic hollered as people passed by. Rush Valley was a pretty big town, to be sure, and full to the brim with automail mechanics hawking their wares, from the newest models of prosthetic limbs they had created, to upgrades such as a knife that came out of the space between the thumb and the index finger of an automail hand. Such an upgrade had caught Tora's eyes and filled him with glee--he had been wanting something like that. While he checked out the wares of the mechanic offering such an upgrade, a large figure in a cloak appeared from the crowd and swang a fist at him, blindsiding him.

"What the?!" Tora sputtered, skidding aside before swinging a left-handed punch back at this mysterious assailant. A large, fleshy hand caught the steel hand with ease. Tora swung his right fist at the assailant in the cloak now. His right hand was suddenly in the grasp of another large, fleshy hand. The two grappled for a few moments before the figure beneath the cloak shoved Tora back and then proceeded to cock back a leg and kick the tall saiyan in the knee to take him off balance. For a moment, Tora could have swore he saw a flash of steel between the pantleg and the boot, but automail was so common in Rush Valley that he thought nothing of it.

Soon, the cloaked figure pulled him up by the collar of his shirt.

"Geez, Tora. You're out of shape." A familiar voice mocked.

Tora growled, trying to swing his arm at the assailant before being thrown down, and a foot shoved onto his chest. The assailant pulled back his hood. Shugesh smirked down at his old friend.

"You know, you're a bastard." Tora grumbled.

Shugesh laughed. "And you're a lunkhead."

-------

Almost a half-hour later, Shugesh cloaked himself again, slinking through the crowds. It was a daily ritual now, of course. He'd been awaiting the day that Bardock and Tora would show up again. To be honest, he missed the other two, but it was more than that. He had been training in his downtime when he wasn't working on automail--no easy task with automail legs, to be sure--and he'd been wanting to test himself against the only two worthy of his display of power.

His eyes latched to a figure inspecting automail polish; the cheek scar and the hair were there. The outfit--a blue military uniform--was unusual, and there seemed to be no sight of a tail, fur or automail. But Shugesh couldn't deny it. This had to be Bardock.

The pudgy saiyan beneath the cloak leaped up on a table and ran across to the table of wares that Bardock was inspecting, and Shugesh cocked back a steel leg before kicking at his former commander and old friend. Bardock had taken the blow to his shoulder, and was now very much uninterested in the wares on the table, his mind geared for a fight.

"Wanna play dirty, eh, you cloaked bastard? Well eat this!" Bardock growled, swinging a right-handed punch toward Shugesh's leg, still not knowing the identity of his attacker. Steel met steel, and the clang was deafening. Thinking fast, Bardock looped both arms around one of the legs now, and tugged; Shugesh had nowhere to go but down on his behind now. The table broke from the impact and cans of automail polish flew everywhere. Chaos reigned at this moment.

Shugesh had to think fast. Bardock was still the great tactician he used to be back in planet-clearing days. Hastily, he lifted a leg to kick at his old friend. A flesh hand caught the foot and Bardock dragged Shugesh closer before yanking off the cloak. What had been a frown suddenly became a smirk; if it was a fight Shugesh wanted, it was a fight that Shugesh got.

"Didja really think I was going to be a slouch?" Bardock taunted, swinging a kick at Shugesh.

Shugesh laughed, bringing his arm up to block as he fought to get back to his feet. "Well, you are a dog of the military."

That statement was greeted with Bardock swinging his right-handed automail fist toward Shugesh's face with a high rate of speed before he stopped. "You think I woldn't keep up with things? The military keeps you in good condition, you tubby meathead!"

Shugesh laughed. "Heh. You win. I should have known that you'd be keeping up with your training as much as I am, if not more-so. Too bad we can't say the same for Tora, huh?"

"You said it." Bardock chuckled.

Tora staggered onto the scene. "Whoa-whoa-whoa. Not funny you guys. I hate you so hard right now."

"Get in line." Shugesh and Bardock replied in unison.

Sometimes those who live cannot always forsee where they go on the open road of life. And for Bardock, not always seeing those twists and turns on the road could lead to a pleasant surprise that made him realize that even if he'd seen the worst, the best was yet to come.


	8. Truth or Consequences

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ, I don't own FMA, and I'm pretty sure I don't own any time machines. Or handsome purple-haired time-travellers who just happen to get to Armestris. If I did...I wouldn't need fanfiction.

--------------

Authornotes: Gratuitous Future!Trunks. More Tora abuse. And I'm pretty sure I'm going to spoil a future chapter just by mentioning a notion in this one. Oh! And plenty of THE THREE AMIGOS LYING.

* * *

Speaking with old friends can often lead to brilliant ideas, because many heads are better than one.

Shugesh led Bardock and Tora back to his automail shop, a smirk on his face. His metal tail whipped left and right, occasionally glancing back over his shoulder to his friends; Tora was slumped over, his tail drooping as he occasionally glanced up at Shugesh, while Bardock followed close behind with a smirk and a swagger. Time seemed to treat Shugesh pretty well, though, like his two friends, he himself had come to have the weight of his old action come down on his soul as well.

"Well, this is my automail shop. A bit of a mess because my apprentice hasn't cleaned up, but it's home." Shugesh gave a broad grin.

Bardock brought his automail hand up to his lip, snickering. "Hahaha. Lazy bum."

"Oh ho, you wish. I'm just busy with everything else." Shugesh shook his head. "Hey! Purplehead! Come out here and say hi to my friends!"

A timid young man with short-cut lavender hair stepped out of the back room, rubbing his shoulder slightly, his blue eyes to the ground. He was relatively nervous; this was just the norm for him in this strange world of strange people. His leather shoes made a soft clomping noise as he approached the other two men that had come with his teacher, and one could hear the noise of corduroy against corduroy as his legs brushed by one another with timid shaking. His eyes suddenly fixed on Bardock.

"Goku?!" The young man sputtered.

Bardock drew back with a suspicious look. "Do you mean Kakarrot?"

"...Th-that's what my father calls Goku..." The young man slumped some. "I guess you're not he. I should have realized as much when I saw that scar. You're definitely not he."

"No. I'm not. I'm Kakarrot's father Bardock. And how would you know anything about Kakarrot, let alone how would your father?" Bardock grunted, seeming more suspicious of the boy.

"My father wa--I mean is...Vegeta. The prince, I mean. I'm only a halfbreed myself..." Trunks sighed.

"W-what?! Halfbreed?" Bardock leaned in closer now. "But you don't look like a Saiyan at all..."

Shugesh shook his head. "Don't judge on appearances, Bardock. The boy isn't lying."

"I traveled with Vegeta for some time, and he never said anything about having a kid." Bardock grunted.

Tora suddenly slammed his hand down on a nearby table, the clang deafening. "As his alchemy teacher, I can say that he did mention being a father. Two kids, I think he said. Trunks and Bra. Always doting on his daughter, Bra. Brags on Trunks some."

The lavender-haired young man smiled brighter now. "Really? But...I...I don't have a sister named Bra..."

Tora quirked a brow. "What's your name anyway, kid?"

"T-Trunks. M-my name is Trunks." The young man stammered, a blush crossing his face as he bowed politely. "I suppose he forgot that I went back to my own timeli--"

"...Waaaaaaaaaaait. You're the timetraveler one he mentioned once, eh?" Tora laughed. "Well, I guess politeness and fem-boyish-ness are from your human genes."

At that moment, Tora wished he'd never said a word when Trunks's fists came crashing down on his head.

-----

After Tora and Bardock had gotten settled in, Shugesh sat down with them at his table. The three men eyed each other in silence, none having the courage to say anything; even now, their transgression against science was a sensitive thing that none of them could get over. Tora gripped a cigarette between his steel fingers, occasionally taking a drag. Bardock had his hip flask out, taking a sip every now and then. Shugesh? He had a few home-made cookies in front of him, occasionally eating one whole.

"You know why we're here. Don't you?" Tora frowned.

Shugesh heaved a sigh. "It almost got out. Didn't it?"

Bardock tensed. "Because the Armestrian government is full of suspicious fools now that the only decent man among them is gone."

Tora froze up. "That's not true. You're st--"

"I'm just as suspicious as they are of stuff. I almost thought one of you guys told, in fact. The military is a part of the government, you know." Bardock frowned, taking a sip of the contents of his flask. "Can I say I'm any better than they? Maes didn't question shit like this. Then again, that's probably why he's dead."

The three sat in silence once more, the sounds of a few chalk clicks being heard in the other room. They each watched the door, waiting; a blue glow engulfed the edges of the door for a moment before the door opened once more to reveal Trunks, sweat running down his face. With a smile on his face, he lifted the sword that he held to his side.

"Well? What do you guys think?" He gave an expectant smile.

Bardock tilted his head. "Looks like an ordinary sword to me."

"I can tell where you repaired it. Your alchemy isn't quite seamless yet. Don't worry, though. Your father took a while to catch on." Tora suddenly spoke. Shugesh and Bardock stared at him with gape-jawed looks. Was this the same dense lunkhead that never got their jokes and got himself beat up in fights for not paying attention?

"A-ah! I see now!" Trunks gulped. "Thank you, uh..."

"The pleasure's all mine. And the name's Tora." Tora gave his goofy grin. "Now you just get back in there and practice. We...we need to talk about something."

Trunks gave a defiant look. "I want to listen."

"You'd just get bored of us mulling over a way to bring back the dead with something other than stories." Bardock grumbled before taking a particularly large swig.

Trunks perked up some. "Bring back the dead? If I could find a way to get back to the other side...we could get the Dragon Balls and wish this person back, probably!"

"Dragon's...balls? Isn't that inhumane in order to go and just rip the testicles off a dragon just to bring someone back to life?" Bardock started, a confused look on his face.

"Not Dragon's balls. Dragon Balls. They're seven mystical gems and if you get them together, you can ask Shenlong to grant you any wish you want...within his power. Like bringing a dead man that's been killed back to life." Trunks explained.

"So...we could bring back Maes Hughes?!" Bardock suddenly stood up, dropping his hip flask of whiskey, his eyes wide. "We could really bring him back without getting a Philosopher's Stone and trying Human Transmutation?!"

"...Human Transmutation? That's the biggest sin ever in alchemy!" Trunks gasped.

Tora and Shugesh averted their eyes, and Bardock himself glanced down. They didn't dare tell him. It was their secret, and their sin to bear.

"What?" Trunks frowned. "What'd...what'd I say?"

"It's nothing, Trunks. Go find the Mark Two Leg and make the repairs I asked you to." Shugesh frowned, not glancing to his pupil once.

Tora sighed. "Or get me some tea."

A screw suddenly pinged Tora in the temple, causing him to spaz and drop his cigarette into the ashtray. What was it with that kid doing this to him?!

------------

Trunks sat at the table with the three men, watching them closely. He somehow knew they were hiding something earlier--perhaps because of their actions--and he wanted to know. However, the other three wouldn't mention a word of it. Their lips were sealed on that dark chapter of the history of their trio.

"Listen. I'm not leaving until you tell me." Trunks huffed.

Bardock rolled his eyes. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes I do." Trunks gave a determined glare.

"...If you must know...we're after the philosopher's stone." Bardock lofted his brow. "...That is all."

Tora smirked, laughing lightly. "We just didn't want to tell you because you'd want it for yourself."

Shugesh said nothing, just giving a cheshire cat grin. He might as well say nothing, or his pupil would know they were lying.

Trunks eyed the three suspiciously. "I don't trust that. No. Tell the truth."

"You want the truth?" Bardock gritted his teeth. "You want the truth? You can't handle the truth, whelp."

"...You did it, didn't you? It's the only reason you would have metal limbs, isn't it?" Trunks murmured.

Tora shook his head. "Or maybe I was in a harvest accident, Bardock was in a train accident, and your beloved teacher Shugesh was in a horseba--"

"He's never ridden a horse." Trunks frowned sternly. "And I doubt you've harvested."

"...We do a lot of harvesting in Resembool, boy." Tora gave a cold tone. "Some of us are less lucky than others."

"Trunks. You know I told you that I was in a vehicular accident!" Shugesh frowned. "I guess Tora here still thinks horses count as vehicles. Country bumpkin."

Everyone else busted out laughing at Tora, who stood up and crossed his arms. "I don't have to take this."

"Then why are you?" Bardock challenged him, giving his own cheshire cat grin.

Tora stormed toward the empty back room, leaving Trunks, Bardock, and Shugesh together. For now, the conversation would turn back to Hughes and the Dragon Balls; Trunks was willing to accept that the three had been in strangely coincidental accidents, oblivious to the truth that they had been involved in Human Transmutation for the time being.

Speaking with old friends can often lead to new ideas. Of course, new friends could breathe the same new life into one's thoughts.


End file.
